


5 Men That Didn't Kill Katara's Mother

by nanase12



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, But I'll actually finish it this time, Episode 56, Gen, Minor Character Death, Vague descriptions of violence, Yes this was posted before, multiple stories, the southern raiders, vague sexual assault reference in scenario 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-01
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-01-28 02:19:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12595960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nanase12/pseuds/nanase12
Summary: “Katara!" he caught up to her quickly. "I know where to find the man that killed your mother.”In episode 56, we see Katara confront Yon Rha and learn what kind of man he was. Here are five scenarios of how the meet could have gone if Yon Rha had been a different person.





	1. PROLOGUE

“Then go.” Katara paused in her packing for a moment to look at the boy who had just spoken.

“I was going anyway.” The boy sighed again.

“I get that you have to take this trip, so take Appa and go. You need to face this man. But when you do, please don't choose revenge. Let your anger out, and then let it go. Forgive him.”

“Forgive the man that murdered my mother?” she spat as she loaded the last of their belongings on the sky bison. “That’s impossible.”  
With a heavy heart and a hope that Katara would do the right thing, the Avatar watched Appa fly off into the night sky.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

“First we’ll have to figure out where they are stationed.”

“Stationed?” she questioned further.

“Yes. We need to find the Fire Navy communication tower. All the navy's movements are coordinated by messenger hawk. And every tower has to be up to date on where everyone is deployed.”

“So once we find the communication tower, we bust in and take the information we need?”

“Not exactly. We need to be stealthy and make sure no one spots us, otherwise they'll warn the Southern Raiders long before we reach them.”

They travel to a guiding outpost that served as a coordination station for the entire Fire Navy. With Zuko’s direction and a bit of cleverness on both their parts, they reach the room that contained the assignments of all the Fire Nation troops. One lone guard sat inside writing at something. Her back was to them as Katara crept up behind her. Using the ink from her writing utensils, the waterbender subdued the guard as Zuko quickly identified and pulled the information they needed.

Perhaps if she were not so caught up in seeking revenge for the death of her mother, she may have played with the idea of how valuable the outpost could be to their mission. She could have seen that the knowledge contained in that room could have given the group an idea of where the Fire Nation was traveling and when. The type of knowledge that could save lives. But Katara could only see one life. She could only see one use for the document she held in her hands. And after reading it, the only knowledge she retained was that the Southern Raiders were docked at Whaletail Island.

As their journey pushed forward, Katara could not help but think of the memory that had plagued her for so many years. She could never erase the sight of her mother lying dead before her eyes. She could never erase the image of the look the murderer wore on his face as he ordered her out of the hut. She could never erase the smell of burning flesh from her senses or feeling that she couldn’t do anything to save her own mother. But she could erase the man that caused her all that pain. With Whaletail Island in sight, she could feel her blood begin to boil again under the light of the full moon. Eyes fixed on the ship Zuko had pointed out as the commander’s hull, she was more determined than ever.

On the ship, Karatra wasted no time in disposing of the meaningless foot soldiers. In a swift, strong, and powerful display of waterbending enhanced by the moon, she sends most of the crew overboard with a massive wave. She and Zuko proceed to the main control room where the ship’s captain is waiting.

“Who are you?” The man spoke out prideful.

“You don’t remember her? You will soon, trust me.”

The boy’s words confused the commander, but the truth became clear very quickly.

“Wha—What’s happening to me…?”

The tenseness of the situation was so clearly evident in the way Katara bent the water to her will. After defeating the old innkeeper that night, she swore she would never use such a devastating technique again. Despite the promise to herself, the captain was subdued instantly, his own blood betraying him.

“Think back to your last raid on the Southern Water Tribe.”

“Please!” the man begged. “I have no idea what you’re talking about! I don’t know!”

Katara’s rage, festering for all those years, easily was enough to kill the man right then. She could have ended the suffering quickly and moved on. But she wouldn’t do it without a confession. She wouldn’t do it until he knew exactly who killed him—so he was looking her in the eyes when she took him out. Inadvertently, it was this thirst for the ultimate vengeance that spared the man his life.  
“Don’t lie! You look her in the eye and tell me you don’t know what you did.” Zuko goaded as their eyes met.

“It’s not him.” From raging anger to sadness and depression in mere moments, the girl released the commander and began to walk away. “That’s not him.”

Confused, Zuko turned to the weak, cowering man again.

“If you’re not the man we’re looking for, who is?”

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

He caught up with the waterbender after she left through the room’s door.

“Katara!" She looked back dejectedly, and he locked eyes with her in a steady gaze. “I got it, for sure this time.” Her head lifted, determination becoming renewed.

“I know where to find the man that killed your mother.”


	2. Monster & Man

The trembling skies above the quiet suburban street made the perfect cover as the two fugitives slipped down the deserted road. It had taken them nearly two days to get there from the Southern Raider’s ships. With just a name, the two had to dig up his location. Luckily for them, the man was an ex-war general. A trip to a different outpost and a different archive allowed them to pull an address. Katara was satisfied – excited even, that his position was easy to locate. Zuko, on the other hand, frowned. Chin Xi province was known to house some of the larger, fancier, single family homes of the Fire Nation. The area was neat- very upscale. Low crime and a very tight-knit community. This meant the security would be extremely tight. They had to leave Appa back by the coast in order to infiltrate the neighborhood. One wrong move, and officers would be on them in minutes. He warned her of this again as they rounded the corner of one of its suburban streets.

“Families move here to feel safe. It provides a very peaceful environment,” he continued.

“Well that might change tonight.” He nodded at the girl, and stealthily, they crept around the side of the house. The streets were silent though it was only mid-way through the evening. Katara couldn’t help but sneer. Why should the Fire Nation province be laced with peaceful, quiet lives when their fellow countrymen were destroying others’?

“This one is beautifully built. The craftsmanship looks to be of an architect from a couple of decades ago. That means there won’t be any holes in the foundation. If we want him, we’ll have to lure him out.” This time, it was Katara who nodded.

“It’s disgusting,” she whispered as they slipped along the side of the house.

“What is?”

“The fact that he can live here in this precious little town like he isn’t a blood thirsty murderer!”

“Shh.” The waterbender didn’t stop talking, but heeded his warning.

“How dare he—this vile man— thinking he has the right to live a normal life. He’s hurt so many people, but he thinks he deserves to be protected? What a joke.”

“We’ll see how protected he is in a short while. Don’t let it get to you.”

“Don’t tell me what to—“

“Shh!” His hand shot out for the tanned girl’s mouth, and as soon as it made contact, she swatted it away in annoyance. She got the point.

“It’s fine, I’m calm. I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment, and I’m not about to mess it up now.”

They moved in synchrony, sliding along the house’s surface like shadows until they reached the back of the home. Hearing a slight rustle form one of the bushes in the neighboring house, they froze. Seconds later, a small bird flew out of it and into a nearby tree. They stayed unmoving for a moment before continuing around the corner. This time, a different type of noise put them on high alert. Clanking. 'It could be a weapon' was the first thought to flow through Katara’s head. Whatever it was, she knew it wasn’t a sound in nature; it was clearly manmade and coming from within the house.

“Do you think that general tipped him off that we were coming?” Katara whispered harshly from the front of the two man squad.

Zuko shook his head before realizing the girl’s eyes were trained on a window at the back of the house. She wouldn’t see the gesture. It didn’t seem to matter. Whether the general had spilled or not, it wouldn’t deter the waterbender. She crept steadily, so concentrated on what she was doing, she didn’t notice anything else. So focused on the window to her left, she didn’t bother to spare a glance at the fairly worn ball sitting at the edge of the yard or the tasseled jump rope hanging over one of the back fence posts. No, in her concentration, the young woman was unable to see anything at all.

A couple of feet away from the window and Zuko was able to recognize the soft sounds. He reached out in front of him, quickly grabbing hold of Katara’s shoulder, halting her movement.

“Dishes.”

“What?” Her eyes were fixed in a glare as she whispered.

“Someone’s doing dishes. It’s the clay plates knocking together.” A moment of silence passed between them as the noise drifted into the air again, and the girl let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

“Makes sense. But who?” They were close enough to the window to see it was open just a couple of inches—the gap small enough to let the sigh of whoever was doing the chore reach their ears. Katara strained to hear, but was startled when the clouds overhead seemed to crash together causing a resounding clap of thunder to vibrate through her.

“Of all the nights!” The petite voice was crystal clear as the now identified woman firmly shut the kitchen window, more than likely to endure the oncoming storm. The teens crouched low, settling for sitting under the sill. There, they could listen for any hint of the woman leaving. The clanking continued, much softer with the shut window, but was coupled with the sound of rain falling. The thunder made friends as the water poured down around them. Luckily, when you’re a waterbender, you don’t need an umbrella. Katara created a barrier with the rain water and drew the liquid out of both of their clothing. Zuko bended enough to warm the partial bubble around them— to take the chill out—before snuffing his flame. It’d be any easy way to get caught. Stuck where they were crouched, they waited for an opportunity, forced to keep each other company.

“He’s sickening, you know. A man that can kill a defenseless woman isn’t a man at all.” A pause. “I’ll never forget the day.” She began the premise to a story she hadn’t told for quite a while, but the boy stopped her.

“You don’t have to talk about it.” Silence fell between them again, Zuko’s preferred environment, but the waterbender was still wired up and needed some outlet for the frustration. If not killing the man who murdered her mother, then through fervent whispering with a boy she’d rather not call ‘friend.’ While it was true she might have been pushing her anger towards the Fire Nation on him, it doesn’t mean he didn’t deserve it. They’d all fought each other more than once. Him as an ally was still foreign.

“You said, back in Ba Sing Se, that the Fire Nation took your mother as well.” She got no reply. “I was wondering what you meant by that? I- my mother was killed. Was yours? Is that the reason that you turned against—“

“If I tell you, will you just be quiet,” he whispered harshly, and she nodded her head in agreement, though the glare was back.

“I’m actually not sure what happened. From what I can tell, my dad messed up and mom took the fall for it. I’m pretty sure it was for my sake, but I never got to confirm. She came to my room one night to say she loved me, and I never saw her again. My father didn’t even mention her.” He paused, taking a deep breath. “I know it’s not the same, and that this means a lot to you—trust me—but at least you know what happened to your mother. She might be gone, but at least you know.”

Katara didn’t have to be asked to be quiet. She digested the short tale and the hate within her only manifested more strongly. The Fire Nation wasn’t only evil outside its walls, but within as well. She couldn’t stand it. She couldn’t fathom why a group of people so cruel could even exist. The heat from her anger must have radiated, because the boy voluntarily broke the silence.

“We’ll take them down one day, but right now it’s your night. I see movement.” He peered at the muddled reflection the rain wall was creating with the light from the window.

“Do you think it’s—”

“Honey!” They both stilled and silenced themselves, flush against the house. The male voice brought a stop to the clanking as well, so the two did the only thing they could at the moment—listen.

“Hi, sweetheart.” A pause. Probably a kiss. “Thanks for putting them down.” A chuckle resounded though the cracked window.

“No problem, Honey, but what are you still doing up? I told you to head to bed half an hour ago.”

“I have a cold, Yon Rha, I’m not dying. I can handle a few dish—“ her sentence was interrupted by a sudden thick cough as if to prove the male’s point.

“See? Now go get some rest.”

“You win, you win. Just stack them over there when you’re done. I’ll put them away in the morning.” The two heard nothing else before the soft clanking picked up again at a slower pace.

“Did you hear that?” the teen asked though he could tell the other had.

“Yon Rha.” Her eyes blazed with a fury he’d only seen in the eyes of a Fire Nation soldier. “The one that killed my mother.”

They waited there, letting the rain beat down around them. When the last light flickered out from the upper floor, they decided to strike.

“What’s your plan?”

“Go in there and confront him.”

“And what, break down his door? Wake the entire block? Get caught?”

“Okay, smart guy, what do you suggest I do?”

“We need to create a diversion. Something that will cause him to come outside without alerting the rest of the neighborhood.” He began to scan the yard for something useful. His eye caught a glimpse of yellow when he was suddenly drenched. He looked up to see the rain falling from the dark sky followed by a, now standing, Katara. She was wet as well and shivering. The boy was perplexed, but stayed hidden as she reached out and knocked on the kitchen window.

“Oh my goodness!” the man’s voice was clear through the window and Zuko cursed to himself. That might have been enough to wake his wife. Before he had a chance to regret it, the man was scurrying out his back door. “Are you okay? You look—“

He didn’t get a chance to finish his statement as he was slammed to the ground, in the middle of the yard, pinned by tentacles of water. Luckily, the rain provided plenty of it.

“Wha—who, who are you?” The man asked incredulously.

“Oh, you know me,” she hissed out, letting a wave of water rush over the man quickly. He coughed at the sudden submersion and release, but schooled his features. Fear was looked down on in the ranks, and though he had retired years before, old habits die hard.

“I’ll ask again, who are you? Are you a thief? We don’t tolerate those in our—” Another wave washed over him sending him into another coughing fit.

“And don’t get me started on this place. Do you like your little life here? Living within your little white-picket fence after you finished murdering countess innocent lives. Talk about a wolf in sheep’s clothing. You truly are a monster.” With a swish of her hand, the rain halted all around her, forming ice daggers pointing straight for him. Still, his gaze didn’t waver. Zuko could see the light flicker through a neighbor’s window, and he knew they only had a few minutes to disappear. He moved to tell her to get on with it when he felt himself lose balance.

“What the—“ He looked to his feet to find he had slipped on a red, round ball. His head shot up to survey the yard again, and his eyes settled on a small metal structure. One a small child might play on. His eyes widened a fraction and he turned towards the attacking waterbender.

“We need to hurry!” He wasn’t sure if she heard him or not, because she didn’t move—eyes still trained on the man in front of her.

“What? You don’t remember me?!” She shot one of the spikes towards him, landing just a fraction of an inch from his head. “How about your last mission at the Southern Water Tribe? The one where you murdered my mother!”

“Wh-what?” The man’s hardened expression faltered for a moment before he responded. “My orders were to kill the last surviving waterbender of the Southern Tribe.”

“Then why—“

“She said she was it.” His eyes met her gaze strongly, decisively. “I did my job. Clearly I was mistaken. If you’re her daughter you must have been—“

“Shut up!” Another barrage of spikes landed. “You have no right to talk about her or me, you monster!”

“Katara, now!”

“To think you don’t even recognize my face! What kind of a murderer must you have been to do something like that and not even remember?! You don’t deserve mercy! You don’t deserve peace! You don’t deserve anything!”

At last, the man bent his head down in defeat, and the girl poised her ice weapons for a final strike.

“I understand. I did many things on the battlefield, it’s no surprise one has come for vengeance. It’s still a wartime, after all. If you must, only harm me. Spare my—“

“You destroyed my life! Why would I spare you anything?” She lifted her hands up, ready to end it.

“Katara!” He harshly whispered again, seeing a faint glow of light in the kitchen window again.

“Please. Do what you will with me, but don’t hurt—“

“Daddy?”

At once, everyone’s focus shifted. Instead of the empty entryway, a young boy, no more than five or six, stood under the light rubbing at the sleep in the corner of his eye.

“Son—“

“D-daddy?” Finally noticing the situation his father was in, the boy’s eyes widened. Risking a glance at his father’s attacker, his eyes began to water. Their gazes locked as the child tried his best not to let his tears fall. Katara was shaken from her thoughts by the man speaking again.

“Please, just don’t hurt my family.” As if on cue, all the windows in the house lit up at once and the woman’s voice from before could be heard calling what must have been the child’s name. He turned to look behind him where his mother was, and the young waterbender watched his back solemnly as a tear escaped down her cheek. Her hands fell to her side and her army of makeshift weapons dispersed limply into water as the rain beat down over the yard once again.

“Katara we have to go.” Zuko was at her side, not sure if tugging her arm was the best course of action, judging on how she ignored him earlier. But she didn’t argue and turned to run away from the scene, the firebender on her heels.

They stowed away on the roof of one of the neighbor’s houses to wait out a potential call to the community security. From the shadows, they watched as the woman and a young girl, taller than her brother, came rushing out the back door. The three huddled around the man who was still frozen on the ground where she left him, though ice no longer bound his limbs. From their perch, she could see them in a deep embrace and felt a tug at her chest of both hate and longing.

“Is this alright?”

She nodded her head slowly, not really trusting her voice to respond to him as she watched through the rain at the familial scene below. Recalling the look of fear on the child’s face as she was about to kill his father, her heart twisted itself all over again. For years she had wondered what kind of man he would be. For years imagined what kind of man could destroy her family, her world in one action. But in that final moment, as she stared into the eyes of the young boy, she could only ask herself what kind of woman could do the same.

 

* * *

_\- Scenario 1 of 5 -_


	3. Sword & Shield

_"Again."_  

 _The stern, cold voice rang over the young boy's head and he repeated the blade routine. Swinging the sharp dagger up and down in a methodical manner, he squinted his eyes in concentration. Unfortunately, the_ _seven-year-old_ _could not keep steady_ _,_ _and he fell slightly out of form._  

 _"Again."_  

 _He heard the word so often_ _,_ _he thought it was tattooed on his forehead. His father had been drilling him on the same set for the last two hours. His arms were beginning to tremble from having them held up for so long, and his stomach was growling_ _—_ _lunch hour having come and gone. But he didn't dare tell his father such a thing. Then on top of_ _having to_ _do_ _it right, he'd get a punishment too._  

 _"Useless!" The boy visibly flinched at the exclamation, trembling in fear instead of tiredness this time._  

 _"I-I'm sorry, father," he tried. "I'll get it right this time."_  

 _"Ha! I'll believe such a thing when I see it. Sorry? That's exactly what you are, boy. How do you expect to be anything better with that spineless attitude and weak form._ _"_  

 _"I-I'm_ _sorr_ _—"_  

 _"A real man doesn't apologize! If you're sorry then get the damn set right! Again!" The boy reformed his stance and began again, determination set in his eyes, though the likely result was obvious. He had never been very good at learning battle sets, but he would do anything to please the man in front of him._  

 _"Yes, father."_  

 **. . . . .**  

 _"We are gathered here to see the release of these brave young men and women into battle. After years of training and honing their skills, they stand before you_ _as_ _masters_ _of their craft. Each youth_ _stand_ _ing_ _he_ _re_ _is_ _no_ _longer a_ _man_ _or woman._ _T_ _hey stand before you as soldiers. Soldiers ready to fight for this great nation. Soldiers ready to die for this great nation. And this concludes the 112th commencement ceremony for the Academy."_  

 _The graduation speech ha_ _d_ _been intimidating at the very least, but the young man stood proudly at attention. He gazed out over the crowd and had to fight the smile from ruining his form. His father was there—smiling. After years of trudging through the ranks, he had finally filled out a bit and learned to control his bending and sword hand. As the commander of the Academy pinned the gold flame emblem to his collar, his heart swelled with pride again. One of the youngest to earn the lieutenant rank at 18, he was ready to leave the school and prove he could be useful to his countrymen and Lord. It was his greatest desire._  

 **. . . . .**  

 _After getting acquainted with his new crew, he felt more like a greenhorn than ever before. Some of the men were twice his age and had been more on combat than he could have ever experienced during class simulations. Nonetheless, he kept his head up high. They had been on their weekly route through the southern waters when the messenger hawk came to him. The bird delivered a message that would make the man a legend. When he read the task at hand, he was surprised to see it was one he had seen before when he was working in the strategically center immediately after his graduation. Weeks later, he'd been promoted to a commander, and the order had come. His first mission as the commander of the Southern Raiders was official: kill that last_ _waterbender_ _of the Southern Water Tribe._  

 _He faced his opponents fearlessly and infiltrated the tribe swiftly. The meager troops that lined up to defend the land were easily cast aside. Most of the benders had been captured years prior. The well-trained soldiers of the Raiders overtook them quickly. As his men fended off the resistance, he located and executed the final_ _waterbender_ _, ensuring a clean victory for the future of our great nation._  

 **. . . . .**  

 _"After his acts on intelligence and prowess, we are proud to award the decorated commander the Medal of Achievement for his fearlessness in battle, and elimination of one of the few remaining Fire Nation threats." Another pin was added to his uniform as he was surrounded the collection of friends and colleagues alike. The pin was just the beginning. The recognition from his actions earned him the respect_ _o_ _f_ _his crew, and he found himself up for another promotion just half a year later. When asked about his accomplishments he proudly left gave a statement._  

 _"_   _There is no greater honor than knowing I served my country. After all I've been through, all I've done…"_  

 

"...I can say with the utmost certainty that I did the right thing for my country, this war, and myself. And I would do it again. You have got to be joking." Katara resisted the urge to toss the scroll to the ground in frustration. 

"Don't lose focus. Does it say anything about his current achievements?" She turned her attention back to the scroll, scanning it quickly for more pertinent information. 

"It looks like he got promoted a couple of years ago- the monster is still riding on the coattails of a murder- it seems like he's off the front. He works as a strategist in a regional office in the east." She shoved the paper at Zuko, assuming he'd be more familiar with Fire Nation geography. As he reviewed the information, her blood couldn't help but bubble at the thought. Not only did he kill her mother in cold blood, but he had been proud of it. Even thinking at her brains top capacity, she couldn't come up with a rationale for why someone could justify killing a child's mother. 

"Got it. I know where this is. It shouldn't take too long to find him in this place." He lifted the biography scroll up in front of Katara, and the large image of the highly decorated soldier, Yon Rha, stared back at her. "Especially since we have a picture." The two shared a matching smirk before Zuko carefully replaced the scroll, and they took off into the night. 

  

"This is the one." As promised, the building was easy to find. It was one of the tallest in the province, adorned in superfluous Fire Nation décor. The two had arrived earlier that evening, and the boy had scoped out the place as she stood watch. When the moon was high in the sky and the streets empty, they decided to make their move. 

"It looks like it'd be heavily guarded. How do we get in?" Zuko nodded at the waterbender, then to the building in front of them. 

"We can walk in through the front door." He began to slide towards the building's entrance, leaving a bewildered Katara behind him. 

"What?! You've been saying how we need to be stealthy this whole time we've been in enemy territory, and now you say to just waltz in through the main doo—" 

"Shh!" He turned to glare at her before continuing. "Just because we don't have to sneak in doesn't mean we don't have to be careful. It's an office building, not a battlefield. At this time of night, no one would be around here. All important documents are taken to the outposts by now. The place is totally unguarded outside of a couple of locks to keep stupid kids out." 

The answer seemed good enough for the girl, and the she caught up to him, both reaching the doors at the same time. They pushed through the metal slabs, and they creaked slowly as the two slipped in. With a soft thud, they were closed inside. Within seconds, the pitter-patter of water falling was echoed through the spacious foyer. They had just missed the rain. 

"But wait—" the waterbender questioned. "If no one's here then why are we—" 

"You read his little biography. He's crazy dedicated. Word in the marketplace was that he falls asleep in here near the end of the month when work piles up. I figured we have a better chance at confronting him here. No family here. Security's loose. It'll just be you and him." The firebender began to move quickly and swiftly down the hall as a smirk found its way to Katara's lips. 

"Just me and him? Perfect," she muttered to herself before following behind. In front of him, Zuko had pulled out a hand scribbled map of the building as was using it to navigate the wide walkways. After a few turns and knocking out the one wandering guard, he stopped quickly and Katara walked into him hard. 

"Watch where you're going," he hissed. 

"Don't stop so suddenly, then." She didn't want to admit that she'd been too caught up in deciding how she'd make the man suffer to pay attention to anything outside her own head. The bastard that murdered her mother was within her vicinity and she wasn't destroying his life yet. It had her on edge. "Why did we stop anyway?" 

"This is it." He stepped to the side and gestured towards an ornate door at the end of the hall. The annoyance was gone from her face, replaced with a cold glare full of malice. After years of waiting revenge stood just a few feet away. "Are you ready?" He asked when she didn't move. 

"I've been ready for a long, long time." She offered no other words, before she charged through the set of doors in front of her without looking back. Zuko looks around, but when he doesn't hear any alarmed footsteps, quickly slides in after her. 

"Wh-what!?" The exclamation fell on deaf ears. When the waterbender rushed in, she almost didn't notice the man standing near the window at all. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the office walls, lined with awards, newspaper articles and the like. The man's entire life was laid out like wallpaper. All the awful things he'd done and help do to so many people, and he displayed them like a trophy. It was all too much. She let out a cry that alerted the man she was more hostile than friendly, and he instantly put up his guard. 

"Who are you?" he asked pointedly. His stern, powerful gaze that she'd seen in the pictures was nowhere near what she saw in the man's eyes. If she was thinking clearly, she'd have thought the man seemed frightened, despite his willingness to fight back. 

"You mean you don't remember?" Zuko came out from the shadows, and the man physically jumped. 

"Re-remember what?" He bended a flame with his right hand, but Katara quickly extinguished it in one swift motion. 

"Remember me!" She lunged at him, knocking him to the ground with the water she carried with her. He started up wide-eyed as she loomed over him. The fear twisted into realization, and he began to look more panicked than ever. 

"Y-you! It c-c-can't be! You can't be!" He stuttered through the phrase without breaking eye contact. Without a doubt, the girl held the face that had haunted his dreams for years. His very first assignment: to kill the last waterbender of the Southern Tribe. He could never forget it. He had to be the one to do it. If he assigned it to his men, they'd think him weak. He regretted that they weren't allowed to take prisoners. He regretted he ever agreed to it. It was one thing to write out a plan. Another thing to complete it. It was the first time he'd ever used his firebending on another human being outside of training. The stench flooded his nose and he found himself throwing up outside the tent after the deed was done. It had made him sick. Sick to his stomach, but he'd done what he had to. He couldn't afford to regret anything. 

"But—but I killed you! I thought I killed the last waterbender—" 

"You thought wrong." The window to his right burst open as the rainwater from outside flowed inside and wrapped around him, lifting him several inches off the ground. 

"B-b-but who else would know—" the man, sputtering from the water dripping down his face from the sudden rush of rain, paused before his eyes widened in realization yet again. "Y-you. The only one there was the little girl. The little girl. You're the little girl!" He proclaimed it as though it was new news for someone in the room besides himself. 

"Yeah. And you killed my mother." She didn't give him a chance to respond, and his body was submerged in the water prison. She watched him struggle for a few seconds before releasing his head into the air. "What do you have to say for yourself, you murderer?" 

"I-I—" he coughed before continuing. "I was told to kill the last waterbender of the South. She-she said it was her. She said she was the one! How was I—" 

"You saw she had a daughter and you still killed her? You didn't even think about it, did you!" She tried to hide she shock on her face. She had never understood why the Raiders disappeared after killing her mother, and now she did. She wouldn't show him that, though. 

"I was following orders!" He cried out. "This is a war, not a game. You do what you have do to win. I was fighting for my country! " 

"You murdered a defenseless civilian!" 

"D-did I enjoy it? No. I-I had to take a life. But I did what I had to! For myself, for my country. I followed my orders!" And he was submerged again, this time for a bit longer. When he emerged again, he coughed hard; gasping for air faster than his lungs could take it in. 

"Your orders have gotten countess people killed. Your orders have destroyed countless families. Yet you still stand by them? Do you even feel bad about it? You ruined my life, so many lives. Do you even care?" The water turned to ice and gripped the man so tightly, he almost couldn't expand his chest enough to speak. Despite the fact it disgusted him to help hurt others, he didn't know any other way. He was a soldier. He wanted his country to win the war. He did what he had to do to help ensure their victory. With every plaque and medal, the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach had ebbed away. With every "congratulations," his role was solidified. With every successful attack, he meant something to his country. He'd made his father proud. He couldn't turn his back on all of that. 

"I said do you even care!" the waterbender barked again; unfreezing the water and letting the man fall straight through it to the floor. He crumbled on contact before looking up at her. 

"I f-f followed my orders. I did what was right. It wasn't my choice. If I didn't I'd have been fired. I d-did what I had to. I—" 

"Wrong answer." The water crashed down over him, and this time, she didn't count the seconds. Through the open window, water was drawn in until the room was filled with it. In her rage, she still managed to create a bubble for Zuko who grabbed at her shoulder fiercely. 

"Is this what you want?" he cried out over the sound of the thrashing water. She didn't respond. 

"Katara, by now, someone in town must have noticed. Let's go." Still no words. Yon Rha's body was thrown around in the currents created by her fury, and he couldn't tell if the man was dead or alive. Despite his wish for her to have closure, he didn't think the waterbender had it in her to truly kill someone. Perhaps he was wrong. 

"Katara!" At last, the water poured out of the room at every opening and crack until the wet military man lay unmoving on a wet floor. The shallow movement of his chest informed Zuko he was still breathing. But her eyes weren't on him. She looked around the grand office, once covered in the achievements of the man who killed her mother. The clippings and awards all destroyed by the sudden flood. All the reminders that kept him mentally grounded, gone. Without sparing him another glance, she turned on her heal and walked out the door. 

Zuko didn't notice how her arms were trembling as she did so. He couldn't feel how fast her heart was pounding as she left the room. How frightened she was for not being able to stop herself. He didn't realize how not killing the man then had shaken her far more than their interaction six years prior. But he did hear the man sputter and begin to breathe raggedly as he began to follow her. A sob tore from between his lips, and Zuko had to wonder if he was crying or if it was just the water from before on his cheeks. 

"I was like you once—a good soldier. Now I've been exiled from my own home. I chose to be myself instead of what everyone decided I should be. I chose to defy orders, and I have never been more at peace with myself." As he disappeared through the door, he glanced back at the man shaking on the ground. "Maybe you should think about what it actually means to 'do the right thing.'" 

The two teens' footsteps sounded down the empty halls as Yon Rha's wailing echoed off the walls. 

 _'I'm sorry,'_  they made out over the sobs.  _'I'm so sorry.'_  

 

* * *

_\- Scenario 2 of 5 -_


	4. Gold & Glory

Their grayed cloaks ghosted the ground behind them as they weaved through the throng of impatient men and wandering hands. It was called “The Harbor,” at least that’s what Zuko said, though the sea was miles away. The area was a well-known bar spot on the sleazy side of the province. During the day, it wasn’t much of a sight—a few rusting barrels and a couple of rows of closed, rough-looking buildings. But at night, it lit up, though nothing like the lights of the Royal City. At night, the collection of bars and back alleys lit with the life of the less than cordial. With soldiers that docked a few miles down by the port looking for a good time. 

“My father once told me it was a place where weathered soldiers went to get rejuvenated, so they could fight again. Said that's why he kept it open—to give them a place to rest.” Katara gave him a skeptical look, and he continued with his explanation.  “But I learned later it was more of a matter of controlling the mass of them. If you let them have their fill of alcohol and women, they’ll do whatever you tell them.” He went on to tell the waterbender that it was the nature of the businesses that went on at The Harbor that attracted such a sleazy crowd. And that she’d have to watch her back.

“I can handle anything some old haggard drunk could throw at me,” she grumbled at the prince, giving him a hard look. He shot a glare right back at her.

“If we were on a battlefield, I’m sure you could. But you can’t do anything to expose yourself. Soldiers old and new alike gather here, remember? For every old passed out gambler, there’s a firebending killer in his prime. If anyone realizes you’re a waterbender, we’re as good as dead. We’re good, but not fight off a fleet of soldiers good.”

“I didn’t have a problem taking out  _your_  entire crew back in the day. And I didn’t hear the Raiders saying I couldn’t—“

“We were on boats then-- in your element. But look around, Katara. Do you see any water here?” he whispered harshly.  She didn’t have to glance around to know it. She could sense the sea a few miles off, but nothing more. If things got desperate in the past, she was able to draw water from the earth, but the smoky hub of the Harbor was all weathered stone and metal. Not a tree in sight.

“Just stick to the plan. Once we find the guy, we’ll lure him somewhere outside. Then it’ll be just you and him. And considering the only water you have is in that little pouch, you’ll have to make sure you make it count." He pushed forward.

The waterbender fought back a sigh, but agreed regardless. She straightened herself up and  began to follow when a force from behind pulled her backward. 

"Mmph!" Zuko whipped his head around at the noise but couldn't catch a glimpse of his companion's cloak. 

"Katara?" He whispered into the air. No response. He tried again louder. "Katara!" 

"Aah--" A short scream sounded from the alleyway to his right, but it wasn’t feminine. He rounded the corner to see Katara and a sizable guy, his hands cuffed in water. 

"What are you doing?!" Zuko hissed, catching the attention of the two people. 

"This jerk thought he was clever. He—"

"What did I just say!" He hissed. Startled, Katara dropped the restraints she had on the man who took off. Zuko caught him before he could get too far and gave one swift strike to the back of the head, effectively silencing the man. 

"You don't understand, he was disgusting," she started.

"They're all disgusting," the firebender responded, leaning up from the ground after verifying the man's pulse. "But when he wakes up, he's going to tell someone, so we need to move." He eyed her water gourd. "Do I need to hold on to that?" Katara scoffed.

"I'm not a child." 

"Yeah, but we can't afford for you to lose your temper before we get Yon Rha outside. I know this is sensitive for you, but can you handle it? Is it worth losing him if you only  _think_  you can?"

She glared fiercely at him, but knew she didn't have time to argue. "Let's go," she commanded trying to retain the authority between the two. He shook his head and followed after her as a few stray drops fell from the sky.

The ground stayed dry, though the clouds above still threatened loudly as they finally found their destination, A seedy bar that was supposedly Yon Rha's favorite. Katara gave the entrance a once over, swallowing a comment about the exterior matching the thugs inside and pushed through. She kept her head down and pulled the cloak tighter, trying to conceal herself. The least attention the better for now. She let Zuko do the talking and order them drinks to blend in. Luckily, it didn’t take long to identify the man. They shuffled to a table near his and perched. He was big and boisterous even in retirement, a beer sloshing in his hand as he animatedly went on about an Earth Kingdom battle he seemed to be particularly proud of. Katara kicked at her companion's shin after a few moments of them listening. 

"Talk to the guy, he's right there. We have to get him to confess—I don't want to stay in this place any longer than I have to. That’s the plan, isn't it? Make him confess and get him outside."

"He's literally surrounded by other guys that are three times my size, Katara. I'm waiting for an opening."

"It's not a battle," she argued. "You just have to get him rambling." She glanced over the man and rolled his eyes as he laughed again. "Which doesn't seem to be a particularly hard thing to do."

 "I guess you're right. Fall back. I'll see what I can do."

"And so bam! There I am in the middle of the ruins. Their commander is desperately running around with his pants on fire like a lunatic. Let him go on for a few minutes before putting him out his misery, haha. Lucky, the bosses only cared about the land—I got to keep the whole haul!" The men clinked glasses and laughed again. 

"Too bad ya pissed it all away. Maybe then you coulda paid your tab!" the bartender chimed in spitefully from across the room. It didn't deter the man.

"Maybe so!" Another round of laughs. Zuko took a chance.

"Everybody's got an Earth Kingdom story or two. You got anything more exciting?" He leaned back lazily, an untouched beer in his hand. He hoped he sounded more casual than he felt. If he wasn't, the men were too drunk to notice. 

"Hey, now punk, I've been around a long time and have touched base all over. Young guys like you wouldn't know anything. I've raided Air temples, hell, I clenched the Southern Water Tribe single handedly."

"There's a Southern Tribe?" One of the drunk's comrades chimed in incredulously. Zuko was grateful that the line worked.

"Yeah, nothing like the North was, with their fortress. This place was  _easy_." He drew out the word for emphasis and took another sip of beer as Katara clenched her fist.

"Outside" she chanted to herself trying to keep her breathing steady. "Meet him outside."

"Really now? Bunch of country bumpkin fishermen then?" 

"Most of them sure." Another sip. "But the wench I went there the kill? Man, that broad was hot." The collective reaction from the men chorused as they pressed for more. 

"Yeah, it was years ago, but I remember it clearly. Had one of those asses you just can't ever forget, you know what I mean?" Zuko's eyes widened and he gave up on his cool façade to fully turn to Katara a few seats away. She wasn't there anymore.

"It's a shame we couldn't take prisoners she would have made one hell of a—uuuh!" Zuko whipped his head back around just in time to see Katara use the force of the little water she had to knock the man's drink from his hand. Her cloak was still up, but she was slowly stepping towards the shocked man. The crowd sobered up surprisingly quickly and Zuko began to calculate their odds of winning a fight inside when she finally spoke.

"Don’t you dare speak about her like that."

"Who the hell are you?"

"Me?" She pulled back her hood and the crowd gasped softly at seeing such a soft girl in a rough place. "I'm about to be your worst nightmare." If Zuko wasn't panicking inwardly, he would have chided her for using such a lame remark. But next thing he knew, Katara had lunged. Yon Rha was on the ground and the bar erupted in shouts and calls. A bar fight. He took a deep breath dodging a chair. Of course.  The waterbender didn't seem to notice. She disposed of several of the thugs around her in her pursuit. Her eyes were still trained on the man that was now getting up, no longer looking jovial. 

"You'll regret that, wench." He charged at her, and she managed to sidestep him, using the water the contain an arm, a leg. He went down again. Zuko realized a moment too late that the fight would not be one on one. He took off towards the girl, but was stopped by three of the men looking for an alcohol induced fight. He engaged, trying to work his way to the waterbender.

"A monster like you doesn't deserve to talk about her!" Even with her determination, she didn't have enough to work with. She knew the rain might be falling outside. She knew if she were closer to an opening or the rain was harder she could take the advantage. But the rowdy men blocked her path to any windows and the precipitation persisted at an uneven sprinkle. She cursed inwardly. This was why she was supposed to get him outside. But her blood was boiling and she couldn't back down. Not with those words still swimming in her head. Yon Rha was back on his feet and managed to grab a hold of her arm. She tried to pull loose, but his grip was strong. She used her free hand to whip again, getting him to release her. They stood at a distance across from each other breathing heavily. Katara could hear Zuko yelling at her to be careful or something of that nature, but it was like a whisper at the back of her head.

"Look here," he squinted his eyes. "I don't know who you think you are. But you don't come into my bar and start shit with me." He took an unsteady step forward. On reflex, she took a step back.

"You can shove that story about killing the last waterbender of the Southern WaterTribe, Yon Rha, because she's right here!" She broke her fighting stance to stand at attention, making sure the man could see her clearly. She waited for recognition that never came.

"You can't— but I killed that woman!" He took another swing, she jumped back. 

"You killed my mother! I was right there, just a kid, and you killed my mother!" She lunged again, but he had started to pick up on her tricks. He pulled away, barely missing a strike.

"A kid?" He looked quizzically at her. "There was a kid there?" He steadied himself on one of the few tables still standing with the chaos surrounding them. "I mean maybe, I don't remember. My attention was on," That smirk that made her skin crawl was back. "Other sights."  He knocked a glass off the surface and came again. This time when she went to use her bending she was cut short. She felt both of her hands pulled opposite directions, effectively pinning her as Yon Rha ran at her from the front. 

"Argh!" She struggled against the men, but with her hands tied, the old soldiers had much more power to leverage. She was able to get one in the face with a swift kick, but not before her mother's murderer had reached her. She was down. Her gourd had been strewn away in the scuffle as her back hit the bar.

"Katara!" Zuko was bending now, taking down the bar ruffians, but his companion's fight had her across the tavern. The man had more friends than anticipated. Stealth, Zuko could deal with. Sneaking up and destroying his opponents one by one. He specialized in it. But this type of head on brutality—it wasn't his forte. He saw the waterbender go down and panicked. 

"Let me go! Let me—" He got her once in the stomach, both arms pinned above her head and the wind knocked out of her. She pulled against him, squirming, but it only seemed to egg him on. And for a brief moment, she was glad the man had killed her mother that day. She couldn't bare the thought of her mother being this man's prisoner. 

"You're a lot of trouble, you know that?" His face was close to hers and she could smell the cheap fire whiskey on his breath. "I don't know about any kid, but if you really are," his eyes raked over her form, and her eyes widened in true fear for the first time since the fight began. "Then you grew up to be just as pretty as your mama."

In a show of quirky but clumsy fire bending, her cloak was yanked from around her, burning behind them. His hand cupped her face next, and she did her best to hold her glare, despite her position. His hand moved to her top next.

"Katara!" Zuko had gotten closer, but the enemies seemed to come from every angle, blocking him. He took out another soldier and looked around hastily. A dented cup. It would have to do. Praying to whoever would listen, he slipped around another swinging fist and launched the cup straight at Yon  Rha's back. For once in his life luck was on his side. 

"Arrgh!" Yon Rha lurched forward from the impact, his other hand losing its tight grip on the girl in his confusion. She yanked herself free.

"Katara run— do something— now!" Zuko screamed out. In an exhausting show of bending, he knocked down the majority of the men left standing, desperate.

"Get away from me!" Hands finally unrestrained, Katara closed her eyes and pushed. She knew her weapon was too far away, the rain not heavy enough, moon not full enough, her tears not wet enough. But there was always water somewhere, anywhere. She threw all she had at the man, and with a loud crash, he had stopped. No prying hands, no sickening remarks. She could hear Zuko clearly again. He was calling her name. He was okay. She felt liquid under her, seeping into her clothes, dripping slowly on her face. She opened an eye and immediately wished he hadn't.

Zuko had finally reached her, her eyes blown wide as shock settled in. He took in the sight. Yon Rha was propped over her, a large piece of broken glass lodged in his neck. The stench of liquor and beer flooded his senses and he realized quickly that she must have bended the alcohol at the last moment. Bottles and all. 

"Katara." No response. "Katara you have to get up, we have to leave." He shoved the man over, and Yon Rha fell on his side with a hard thud—his eyes still glossed over, mouth hanging open. She couldn’t move. "Katara, now—one of the guys left to call other soldiers. If we stay here we're dead!" He leaned down, yanking the girl up. She managed to stand on shaking legs, and Zuko grabbed her arm in support. 

"No!" She immediately recoiled, the sudden contact too much too soon, and he tried to be sympathetic. 

"I know it wasn't what was planned. I know, but please, we have to go." He pressed. She turned to the man  again, still unmoving. Soft moans and grunts filled the room as an indication of the other men stirring. But not Yon Rha. Her hands trembled like her voice.

"Is-is he..." She couldn't finish the thought. She didn't have to.

"I checked his pulse when I pushed him off. He's done Katara. He can't hurt anybody anymore." 

For years she had imagined the man's death. For years she had pictured the light leaving his eyes. For years she envisioned what vengeance would feel like. She didn't think it would feel like this. 

"I- he was—he tore my--" She looked down to the charred heap that was her cover warily. Zuko pulled off his own cloak and draped it over her shoulders.

"You did what you had to, Katara." She didn't stop shaking.  "It was an accident. Plus the guy was a total creep. He'd have probably ended up like this on his own with all his drinking." Silence. He sighed.

"Please, Katara, we have to go." He guided her by the arm, and this time, she didn't put up a fight. Her skin was frighteningly chill despite the fact it had been so warm inside the bar. She was shivering. They had just made it out of The Harbor when the sky reminded them of its tantrum. On cue, the thunder crashed overhead in a final warning just as the shore came into view. After a few seconds she tripped over her own feet and landed in a heap on the loose soil.  

"I—I ki--" She kept trying to form her thoughts, afraid of the reality, the truth. "I killed him. I killed him, Zuko. I know I said I would- but I—I never. I thought I--"

"I told you, he deserved it he--" But Katara couldn't hear anymore. Not her companion's advice, not the drumming of the rain that had finally started to fall. That couldn't have come half an hour prior. Rain that would have saved a life. She looked down at her hands, her body. Still caked with grime from the bar fight. Still trembling.

"Oh, oh god—how--." She babbled. "How am I gonna tell Aang? How am I going to..." She choked back a sob, no longer knowing the difference between the rain and her own tears. She didn't dare close her eyes in fear of that image, his lifeless eyes still boring into hers. As the rain, now drenching, washed away the blood from her fingers, clothes, face, she pleaded for it to take her memories or at least her guilt with it.

After a few minutes, the rain was ebbing and she was able to stand again. Zuko let her hold the silence as they reached Appa at last. Without another exchange of words between them, they flew off into the night. She had succeeded in her quest, but at a cost she never anticipated. She prayed for the pain to go away. That even if she'd done something unethical, she had honored her mother with it somehow. Somehow. She'd tell herself as many times as necessary. Until she believed it.

"Forgive me" she whispered, the wind eating it before it could reach any ears. "Forgive me."

 

* * *

_\- Scenario 3 of 5 -_

 


	5. Vice & Virtue

"And when Lord Sozin realized this, he began to think about all the good that could be done. The Fire Nation was so fortunate in so many ways. He believed we should share this prosperity with the rest of the world. With his brilliance at the helm, he fought to make our nation the most successful empire in history." The man gazed out the window to his left. "How do you think he did?" 

A chorus of affirmation filled the room, and a child stuck their arm into the air. 

"Yes Ping?" 

"My father said our Great Lord was friends with Avatar Roku. Is that true?" Hushed murmurs replaced the cheers, all eyes on the young boy. 

"That's quite the speculation Ping. It was kind of you to share." The man stepped around his desk gesturing to this class. "It was rumored that the two had known each other, but it was never confirmed that it was more than that. We do know, that Avatar Roku did not favor our Lord Sozin's ideals, so it's hard to imagine they were more than acquaintances." 

"I heard our Lord Sozin killed Avatar Roku so we could win the war." 

"Didn't the Avatar die in an explosion?" 

"It was a volcanic eruption. We learned about those in geography class, remember Remy?" The young girl nodded. "Our land is filled with areas and reactions of heat. Does anyone know what else we have?" he posed open ended. Several hands shot up. 

"Hana." 

"Geysers!"  

"Good one. Okay, back to history guys." The hands went down with a collective 'awww' but another put theirs up. 

"Mr. Rha, is true that the Avatar is back?"  A thick silence filled the room, all chatter ceasing. The day of the black sun was one that no one could forget. The children were all ushered inside, encouraged to wait out the period. Shops closed, lessons canceled. Then they heard the explosions, the shouting. The province under attack. It was over as soon as it started though. People talked, and no one knew what had happened for sure, but the Avatar was the only thing that made sense.  

"Don't speak that kind of slander, Lulu. You know our Fire Lord Ozai made sure the Avatar was no longer a threat." She put her hand down timidly. 

"And if he was, Lord Ozai would hiiya!" one of the other boys shouted, jumping up in response. "He would get rid of him for sure! Nobody can stop us!"  

"We're the greatest nation in the world!" 

"Why can't everyone just  _see_  that. It's about time." 

"I can't wait until I can fight for my country." 

"I wanna be a soldier when I grow up!" 

"Me too!" 

"Children." And with one word, the group of rambunctious eight year old's found their seats again. "I understand your enthusiasm. Our home is a wonderful place, but let's not forget you are only children. There are so many possibilities, so many paths. You can be anything you want to be."  

A loud crack of thunder boomed through the open windows causing a few of the students to jostle.  

"And on that note, let's call it a day. Make sure you finish your reading—and keep your hoods up, we don't want you getting caught out in the rain." He spoke as the class of children gathered their items and flooded out the door. 

"Walk together, and watch your step!" He called out as the last few were exiting. He shit the indow before busying himself with his own paperwork.  

 

* * *

 

 The firebender spared a glance to the kids now jogging to get out of the light rain that had just begun to fall before focusing back on his companion. She straightened her back and took a deep breath. That much he could see. He was waiting for her lead. It was a big moment after all. Katara had all but squealed with glee when they were able to track the man down so quickly. He wasn't wandering the seas on a mission or in some secret facility. He was a school teacher with a set schedule. No guesswork needed. Zuko recognized the province, and in just a day's travel time, there they were.  

The waterbender struggled with the concept of a murderer as an educator. She rationalized that it was a nation that bred killers, so it probably wasn't as farfetched as she would like to think.  With the storm brewing outside, the man didn't hear the door shut behind them.  

"Well that was some kind of lesson, huh," Zuko began. The man did not look up from his desk, he was focused on writing something down. Zuko couldn't make out what, but gave up trying as Katara continued their impromptu skit. 

"Yeah, well I guess it's true what they say: the winners write the history books." The two lingered near the doorway, casually even though her words were venomous. "But last time I checked, we were still at war, so nobody has won anything yet, don't you think?" 

"Yes, I believe there's a saying for that too. Something about counting chickens?" 

Whatever retort she was planning fizzled out as the teacher's pen stilled at last.  

"You guys don't look like third year primaries." He looked up at them with the same expression he had when teaching his students as he pushed out his chair, settling comfortably as he spoke. "What can I help you with today?" Katara scoffed. 

"How about a lesson in the truth." She stalked up to him in a few strides, slamming shut the cover from the text that still laid open on the corner of his desk. "Or justice? Or do you just enjoy poisoning young minds?" The man didn't move, eyes stayed trained on the young lady. "That's it, isn't it. Monsters like you get off on creating new ones."  

The teacher's eyes flit between the heated waterbender and the book her hand was still clenched on top of from where she'd forced it shut. He readjusted in his chair before reaching towards it. Her hand flinched back in response. He didn't comment on her reaction, shrugging half-heartedly instead while giving her a sympathetic look.  

"I have to teach what's in the book."  

Katara blinked several times, her tongue momentarily tied at the unexpected answer the teacher had given her.  

"Wh-what?" 

"It’s the curriculum. I have to teach what's in the book." He patted the cover for emphasis. "Sorry if it—"  

"You are Yon Rha, right?" Zuko cut him off, trying to get the conversation back on track. Even though the school building was fairly isolated, they were still in town. He didn't want to draw it out any longer than necessary.  

"Yes," the man looked past the girl and met the gaze of the firebender. "Yes, I am." His eyes flit between the two of them skeptically. "Now I feel like I'm at a disadvantage. You both know my name," he took a few steps to move from behind his desk as he spoke. "But I don't know either of yours."  Katara simply laughed, her gusto back in full force. 

"Are you saying that you don't remember me?" The man's brows furrowed. There was a beat of silence before his next words. 

"Were you perhaps a stude—" 

"Is that a joke?" she barked. The shuttered window flung open suddenly, but the teacher didn't let the noise break his concentration. "Do I look like a product of your Fire Nation brainwashing to you?!" Her fist found another solid surface—one of the children's desks— and the thud rang out so clearly across the room, Zuko wondered for a moment if it had been the raging girl or the thunder outside.  

"I'll ask you one more time, do you remember me?!" She leaned close, snarl on her lips, fury in her eyes. And this time, the man looked. She could see his eyes dart all around her features before they settled on her face again. After four or five seconds, she saw his eyes widen in realization. She couldn't keep the smirk off her face.  

"Seems like he remembers something alright," Zuko thought cautiously to himself. He watched the pair silently as he attempted to place the emotion on the previous commander's face. He couldn't figure out why the teacher's demeanor fell away almost instantly at the realization— his guard dropping for the first time since the two fugitives had arrived. Katara hadn't seemed to notice. 

"The last waterbender of the South." Zuko's hand found his blade before Yon Rha could finish the thought. If the man felt the tension shift in the room, he didn't show it. He pulled the glasses off the bridge of his nose and placed them neatly on the desk before returning his attentions to his stunned interrogator. "I've been waiting for you." 

Her mind raced, and she was sure a myriad of expressions crossed her face as she attempted to process the information. A soldier would have worried if the target had been tipped off. That their information, sources, perhaps even partner had been compromised. A soldier would have followed this line of questioning. And even though the young waterbender found herself in the middle of some of the most gruesome battles the war had to offer, she was no soldier. 

"So you killed my mother?" Her voice was smaller than Zuko had ever heard it. The man simply nodded.  

"Yes, I did." He leaned back, letting his weight rest on his desk behind him.  

"Why—Why would you—" 

"Have you ever thought about what you’d be doing ten years from now?" The waterbender tripped over her words before settling on glaring at the other. He continued. "The future is uncertain, always has been, always will be." He looked away, gaze traveling to the open window where water from the storm had begun to pool.  

"But that doesn't mean it's fixed." He shook his head. "Just the opposite really. The future, is nothing but the result of a series of decisions made in the past. And each decision effects the future outcome differently." He began to walk towards the window, and Zuko kept his eyes trained on the man as he crossed the room. Katara hadn't moved at all from her spot as he continued.  

"The tricky part, is right here in the present. You have to figure out how that decision might change the future outcome. Some people are better at this than others—pinpointing what decisions will have the biggest impact. And when you're very good at it," he closed the shutters smoothly, "they make you a Commander."  

"Fancy that." 

Both heads turned to the waterbender that had spoken at last. She turned her glare back to the man, the bitterness from her words still hanging in the air.  "I suppose you're going to tell me you were the merciless captain of a murderous crew because you're good at guessing." The man moved closer to the middle of the room, straitening up a table on the way before settling on top of one of the many small desks in the room.  

"I live in a nation gripped by greed packaged as misguided nationalism—where the vices of men in pursuit of power have crippled my people in a way they can't currently see. These so-called gods among men decide our fate, and we are just tools of the game." He looked to the floor with a sigh lifting a folded paper sword from the ground. "And there are no greater pawns than soldiers." He stared hard at the makeshift weapon. "I hope these children will never have to be soldiers. I was like them you know. I wanted to fight for my nation—give everything to the cause. I did many things, unspeakable things in the name of pride—what I had been taught was justice, honor." Zuko flinched at the word but said nothing. The man let out a pitiful laugh.  

"In the end," he straightened up and let the paper sword dangle at his side. "The only honorable thing I did was kill your mother." 

And that was the final crack in the dam that had surprisingly held back Katara's rage. 

The window and door flew open again, only this time the water was gushing in. The girl, liquid circling around her like a cyclone, stormed up to the ex-commander her hand gripping in the air tightly. The water bent to her will, and in mimic, a fist of ice froze into Yon Rah's top, lifting him off the floor enough for his toes to dangle above it.  

"How dare you!"  

"Watch it!" Zuko shouted harshly noticing the effect the girl had on the environment. The rain had stopped falling around the school—if she didn't hurry they wouldn't be able to escape unscathed. She paid his warning no heed as she pressed further—the solid grip tightening, the cyclone buzzing. 

"How dare you say that to my face you bastard! You murderer! You—" 

"She knew why we were there." Katara let herself be cut off, demanding him to continue with any kind of explanation. She had to know. If she didn't hear it now, she'd never know. She had to know.  

"She knew why we had come. When I reached the tent, she stood her ground. I could never forget it, the strength in her eyes." For a man that could be killed at any moment, Yon Rah was extremely calm. It only served to anger the girl further. 

"So you kill her?" 

"She sent you away. Said to find your father, brother." He ignored the question. "You didn't want to go, but she made you. Told you to go. Then she looked at me without missing a beat and said 'I am the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe.'" 

"You're  _lying_!" The fist of ice began to split near the middle. 

"She held out her hands, and asked me to take her away. Only orders were not to take prisoners. I told her so. She stilled, and I thought she was finally frightened. But she came back with an unexpected response. 'If you kill me, you will leave my people alone?' I nodded. All we were instructed to do was find and kill the last waterbender. No more, no less. She stepped away from me. I thought she would run or something. She sidestepped, and I moved forward. I reached for her and got her to the ground. It was too easy. I looked up, and there you were. Staring wide-eyed at me as if you were unsure what I was about to do. Then it all clicked into place."  

He chuckled as the violence of the swirling water began to subdue. The dots were connecting within the man's story, and Zuko wasn't sure if the girl was ready to hear the answer.  

"There was an ocean just yards away, she could have done anything to protect herself. But she didn't bend a thing. I rationalized that she was just self-sacrificing. But then there was you. You were in immediate danger. If she had any power to protect you she would have. And that's when I realized she had lied. And that could only mean one thing. She must have recognized my realization, because she began to plead for the first time. I looked to her form on the ground, back up to you and then her again." The water around the room fell in a deafening splash as Katara stared blankly at him.  

"And I made a decision." 

"No." It was like a whisper, but they all heard it, the room eerily silent.  

"To honor the sacrifice of one of the bravest women I'd ever met." 

"Stop." The ice cracked again. 

"And what a decision it was. Look at you. I'm glad I let you go." The corners of his lips tugged upward despite the predicament. "You're brilliant. More brilliant than I could have ever imagined. " The grip loosened.  He turned towards the firebender with a respect the boy hadn't seen in years. It startled him. 

"The runaway Prince, your Avatar friends and allies. Your strength, your visions, your dreams. I know— I have faith that you all will change the world." He smiled, the sentiment clearly visible in his face.  "This is a future worth fighting for. One, I decided long ago," he shut is eyes "that would be worth dying for." 

The air was electrifying, and for a moment, Zuko was unsure of what his companion would do. She dreamed of the day for years, the day she could avenge her mother. But after learning the truth—the malice she had held onto for so long was melting like the pile of ice at their feet. 

"I'm glad you think so," she spoke at last— confidently, clearly. "Because you will repay your debt with your life." Then the ice pillar crumbled pathetically, Yon Rha landing unsteady onto the floor. He opened his eyes in shock.  

"I don't under—" 

"You will give your life to ensuring the future you feel so strongly for." She stepped towards him. "You will join our fight." Even Zuko was surprised at the declaration. "I don't know when or how, but one day, I will call. And when I do, you will answer. And you will use your knowledge and skills to aid us." She reached a hand out to him, and he accepted as she pulled him to his feet. "To help us win this fight." She released his wrist and put out her hand in common gesture. He couldn't fight the smile on his face if he tried. He shook her hand solidly. 

"Yes. Yes, if you call on me, I will do everything in my power to aid you all. Whatever you need you ask, Waterbender, and I will try."  

"Katara." 

"I'm sorry?" 

"My name's Katara." She began walking towards Zuko who had taken the entire debacle in stride. He didn't want to believe the man, but the pull in his chest told him to trust. So, he did. "You should know it, if we're on the same side."  

"Thank you, Katara." He bowed to her, a renewed sense of pride in his eye. She smiled herself. It was short and watery, but there. She moved her arms in a familiar pattern and all the water was drawn from the room restoring it to its previous state.  

"Until then, Yon Rha." The pair exited through the door and Zuko immediately put his hand up—the sun was straining through as the clouds cleared, and he couldn't help but roll his eyes at the symbolism. They reached the end of the school yard when they heard a shout.  

"Katara!" They both turned. Yon Rha was at the door. "I know it probably doesn’t mean much coming from me, but your mother. I know she would be proud of you." He waved them off. "So, so proud."   

Zuko nodded in acknowledgement for her as she turned away from the man. Her tears began to fall blending into the soggy path, the emotion of it all suddenly overwhelming, as they departed. Still, her head was held high, her heart full. She glanced at her companion for a moment and thought of all the friends back at camp waiting. She was ready— they were all ready. Ready to change the world, restore balance. And it didn't even register with her at the moment, but for the first time since she began the journey, the Fire Nation was included in her image of a peaceful future. 

 

* * *

_\- Scenario 4 of 5 -_

 


	6. Heaven & Hell

"Yon Rha." 

"The name doesn't ring a bell to me. We'll have to-" 

"Yon Rha." She cut the boy off, testing the way the man's name felt on her tongue a second time. "Is the man that killed my mother?" Zuko nodded. 

"Yes. As long as the commander wasn't lying. They said he was who they replaced. And I think you scared that guy so badly, there's no way it isn't the truth." She took a deep breath, processing it all. 

"Okay, so what's next." She turned to him, determination burning in her eyes. 

"Next we have to find him. " 

* * *

 "What do you mean it's not here," she grit out annoyed. They had been in the outpost for over half an hour with no results. She had to knock the guard out twice, it had been so long. 

"I mean there are no records of him here. No post, no assignment." He sighed, shoving the last of the scrolls back into place.  

"What does that mean. The Southern Raider's commander lied?" 

"Not quite—" 

"So the guy doesn’t exist? Cause let me tell you, somebody killed my mother while I was standing right there in front of them, and I—" 

"No," he tried to reign back the frustration in his voice. He understood why she was angry, he just wished she'd let him get a word off edgewise. "It means he doesn't have an active duty post. It was six years ago. He could have been transferred or retired. Either way he's not on a ship anywhere." 

"Then were at a dead end?" The statement was laced with malice, but the disappointment was also clear. She let out a breath when her companion shook his head no. 

"We just have to look somewhere else." 

They abandoned the post and fallen guard as Zuko led them miles away to a different outpost. Katara hated to sound ignorant, but they had flown in so many circles, and it looked so much like the last one, she was skeptical about the entire thing. 

"Are you sure?" He scoffed. 

"Of course, I'm sure. This is where they catalog any old files. Any AWOL notices or retirement documents would be stored here." He began rifling through the shelves, hoping they were categorized similarly to the active post. Katara sighed, resigning herself to waiting impatiently again. 

"Are you sure I can't--" 

"I'm sure. Everything has to be exactly how it was left, and if—aha!" 

"What?" She practically knocked him over trying to see what was in his hand.  

"Yon Rha, he's here. His military career, Southern Raiders, yada yada. Okay here—" She peered over his shoulder to read along. "Yon Rha, has never married and has no children. Looks like he retired 4 years ago in the Lei Jin province, and damn." 

"What?" 

"There's no address on file." The silence stretched between them awkwardly. At this point, she could have taken the dead end as a sign. She could have returned to camp and thanked Aang for understanding. She could have concluded that sometimes you don't always get the answer you want. That it happens every day to everyone. That it's something people must learn to accept in order to find some sort of closure. She could have looked to the future she was fighting so hard to create.  But with her nose in the scroll the firebender had set down, it was clear she was only concerned with one direction. 

"Well, there has to be something else here. I didn't come this far to give up now." She stood tall glaring down at the boy still crouched from going through the files. "We have to think. How can we narrow this down? Can't we go to this Lei Jin and ask around? Someone would surely—" 

"Yeah, 2 fugitive teenagers asking random people in the Fire Nation how to find an ex-war general. That doesn't sound suspicious at all." 

"I didn't mean—" 

"More importantly," he waved his hand to indicate he was over the first part of the conversation. She huffed in annoyance as he continued. "The province is huge. Home to at least twenty thousand people. No way we find Yon Rha that way. Plus, we don't even know if he's still there. For all we know, he moved to some tiny town in the middle of nowhere with his mother."  

"Someone has to know the guy!" Katara exclaimed, her arm swingy widely in frustration, nearly toppling a shelf. Zuko was at his feet to steady it quickly.  

"I'm sure someone—" He paused, forehead scrunching in thought at her words. "That's it!" He moved swiftly, combing over the stocks of scrolls until he finds the one he'd been looking for.  

"What's it?" She was confused, yet excited, feeding off his energy. 

"Here. 'The crew at the time of Yon Rha's command was comprised of several hardworking crew members.' It's a list of everyone notable that served with him during his time as commander of the Raiders." He showed her the list, and she grinned fanatically.  

"Finally." Her eyes scanned over the list. "So, we just have to track down these people. There are only eight names here, it shouldn't be too hard. " 

"No," the firebender responded already searching for the first name on the list. "Shouldn't be too hard at all." 

* * *

 "You didn't say the place was this big," Katara hissed. They were weaving through the crowded stalls of fruits and fabrics, scanning the crowd.  

"It’s the central market for the biggest province in the nation. What did you expect?" The two broke into an area of open space, and she took a moment to take in her surroundings. All of these people living their lives on the backs and blood of others. She shook her head, willing herself not to think about it. She had a mission. 

"There." She pointed through the crowd to a particular stall. It was being run by a stocky guy. He was selling trinkets—toy telescopes, maps, water guns. Seemed fitting for an old navigator. According to his file, he retired two years after Yon Rha. The two teens had combed through the lives of the eight people from the list, and thankfully found a bit more info on them than the man in question. Three were still active, stationed hundreds of miles to the south. Two had jobs in the capital city. But three others were local, retired in suburbs and the like. Li Wei, the navigator had the closest address. 

"And for you, young man. Maybe one day you'll guide a ship of your own." The man handed a kid a spyglass as the boy's mom gave him a thankful nod. The family left the stall as Katara approached, Zuko right behind. 

"And what can I get for you today, ma'am?" Katara leaned in close before whispering harshly. 

"Today? Today I need an address." The man looked at her quizzically. The potential danger didn't click foir him until one of his display squirt guns turned to point at him on its own. He hardened his own steely glare before reaching below the counter. 

"What are you—" Zuko began before the man produced a "back in 5" sign.  

"Let's move this discussion somewhere a little more private, hm?" The group moved to an area where several stalls backed together. No throngs of patrons or heckling salesmen. As soon as they were alone, the man threw up his defenses. 

"Calm down," Zuko began. "We aren't here for you." The man visibly relaxed at the words, but kept his guard up nonetheless.  

"Then what do you want." He spoke gruffly as if his prickly attitude could deter the pair. 

"I told you already," Katara said taking control of the situation. "I need an address. We are trying to find your old commander." The man looked confused, and Zuko clarified. 

"Yon Rha." The man glared this time. "With the Southern Raiders six years ago," the firebender added. The ex-navigator waived his hand in dismissal, tucking his knife back in his pocket.  

"That old bastard?" he huffed. "What about him?"  

"We're trying to find him." The man simply scoffed, leaning nonchalantly on the stone wall of the alleyway. 

"Well, you've wasted your time here. Yon Rha was a snake." His face contorted into one of disgust. "Didn't keep up with him after we were reassigned. Never cared to. Ha!" He began walking back towards his booth, and Katara had to clench her teeth, trying not to start a brawl in the market at the man's attitude. "Bet the bastard doesn't even remember my name." He shot a glance back at the young pair, disinterest abundantly clear in his gaze. "Good luck finding the guy." 

And with that, their first lead was squandered and they were back to square one. Katara shouted the thoughts at her companion once they were out of the market.  

"No, Katatra. We just crossed one off the list." The waterbender nodded in understanding, frustration ebbing, but still present. Was it so hard to just walk up to the first person and get the info she needed? Another deep breath, and her focus was back. It would be fine. All the effort would surely be worth the wait.  

* * *

 The unlikely pair crept through the small district just as the sun began to set. Still early enough in the day that a little noise wouldn't disturb the setting. Xi Long, had been an engineer on the ship. Her husband was out of the house working, and the pair's scoping indicated she was on the ground floor. With a series of coordinated nods to each other, they slipped in through the backdoor, that surprisingly, wasn't locked.  

They stealthily crept around the house, stepping around tables and shelves, before Zuko laid eyes on their target. She was sitting at a chair near what looked like a neat breakfast nook in the kitchen. One more nod, and they were on her. In a swift motion, the firebender had a hand over her mouth, her hands pulled behind her. 

"Do not make a sound. We are not here to hurt you. Nod if you understand." 

The woman's eyes went wide. She tried to move, but his grip held her firmly in place as Katara bent cuffs out of her water. She continued to struggle against the restraints, and Zuko asked again, frustration clearly laced in the loaded question. 

"If I let you go will you be quiet?" he hissed. Finally, the words registered with the woman. She nodded her head slowly, but her eyes were fixed with a glare that clearly showed her hardened years in the military.  Even so, he uncovered her mouth, his companion not as trusting, the cuffs still in place. 

"You can start talking whenever," she droned stoically. Her posture was straight, animosity clear. Like she was a prisoner being pumped for navy secrets. If Katara noticed, she didn't act on it.  

"Don't act like you're in charge here."  

"Then actually do something." A thick silence hung in the air as the two alpha-females stared each other down. Zuko cleared his throat to move the conversation along.  

"We didn't come here for you. Not directly. We're looking for some information," Katara began gingerly. She knew she had to establish some kind of rapport with the woman, but she had rubbed her the wrong way, and the waterbender couldn't shake the feeling. 

"You want me to betray my nation?" she quipped. 

"No," Katara sat down across from the woman. "We want you to betray your former commander." Her expression was immediately screwed into one of confusion.  

"My—who?" 

"Years ago, you were stationed as an engineer for the Southern Raiders under Commander Yon Rha. He is who we're looking for." 

"Oh." The response was so soft, the pair almost missed it. The bite in her demeanor fell for a moment, and Katara wasn't sure, but she thought she detected a hint of fondness. She wasn't sure if her disgust showed on her face, but she didn't particularly care either.  

"Oh, what?" 

"Well," the woman sat straight again. "What do you want to know? " She trailed off with a pointed look, and Katara swallowed the pride in her that wanted to retort.  

"We just want to know if you have a way to contact him. We need to find him. Immediately." 

"Are you going to kill him?"  

"No." 

"Depends." 

Zuko and Katara spoke simultaneously, and the waterbender glared harshly at her companion at how quickly the 'no' had flown form his lips. Considering that she wasn't even sure of the answer. The engineer just laughed, as if the severity of the scene had disappeared with the two teens scowling.  

"Look, Yon Rha was a fine captain. He had his troubles, but he treated the crew justly, fairly. I have nothing against him, but I left the navy five years ago. Fell in love with a sea-faring merchant and got pregnant." She glanced towards the stairs. "I haven't spoken to my old Commander since. Haven't heard from him either." 

"Really now?" Katara probed, not quite trusting the woman. 

"If I had the information, I'd give it to you. Sorry I couldn't be more help." She shrugged, leaning back in the chair. Katara scoffed, but released the water cuffs anyway.  

"Fine. I assume you wouldn't risk your kid's safety for this." A quick whip sent the woman flying forward, landing in a sprawling heap on the floor by the table. Before she could fire a verbal retort back, the pair had slipped out into the darkening evening.  

* * *

 "Waah!"  

"Tell us where Yon Rha is!"  

The next stop was to Tei Wang, Yon Rha's chief lieutenant, second in command. Katara could only hope the good feeling she had about this one wasn't misguided. Considering how misguided her heart had been throughout the seemingly endless journey she was on to find the man, she should have seen it coming.  

"Yon who? Can you get out of my, ahh!" The water in the toilet the man was situated near began to bubble and spew. He desperately grabbed at his pants in attempt to pull them up in the presence of completely unanticipated company. After all, who expected to be ambushed in a bathroom.  

"You know who." Zuko added strongly. "Think back to your days with the Southern Raiders. Commander Yon Rah. Ring a bell now?" 

"How are you doing that?" He looked between the two of them and the water flowing from the makeshift piping. As it floated in the air. Katara rolled her eyes before a flick of her wrist had the man pinned against the dirty wall with the questionable toilet water.  

"The more important question here, is where is Yon Rha!" A gush of the water hit the man in the face leaving him sputtering.  

"Are you crazy? Do you know where that water's b—" Another splash. 

"What I do know is you're not answering my question." A snake of water wrapped around the man's ankle, and he was tugged into the air, dangled upside down. His quick thinking kept his pants from flashing the pair. 

"Arrrgh! Look kid, I have no idea. Yon Rha—you either loved him or hated him. Me—" He gripped at his pants awkwardly again. "I was a weird guy that did neither. That's why they made me first lieutenant. But I haven't seen the guy, honestly. Not since he retired four years ago." 

"Are you sure?" the waterbender ground out, frustration of failure settling in once again.  

"Honest!" And with that, she released the water, letting the man fall a foot or so to the ground with a short cry. She was out of the latrine quicker than Zuko could process, and he had to jog to catch up to her.  They were headed back down the road before he spoke.  

"Look, Katara, I'm really sorry. This isn't how I intended for this to—" His apology was cut short by a dejected sigh from the girl. She paused in the middle of the road, arms wide, and growled low before shouting.  

"Doesn't anybody know where Yon Rha is?!" 

"Yon Rha?" 

The addition of a new voice had both Zuko and Katara's heads whipping to find the source. A woman, who looked frail in body, but the opposite in mind, stood further down the path.  

"I'm sorry?" Zuko questioned, trying to confirm if he'd heard correctly. 

"Are you kids looking for Yon Rha?" she offered again. A woven basket of fruits and flowers—likely from market—rested on her arm as she looked at the two curiously.  

"Yes!" Katara almost jumped at the response. She closed the gap between herself and the lady in seconds—a gap she'd waited over half a decade to bridge. "Yes, we are! Do you know where he is?"  

"Mmhmm." The woman's careful smile didn't falter as she turned on her heel and pointed vaguely east. "If you head east down this road, you'll find the main street. Go south—you've got to travel a bit, but you'll hit a small town. He's out on the outskirts, just over the hill. Can't miss it." 

"Really?!" Katara's eyes gleamed with fury. 

"Cross my heart." The waterbender hugged the woman and thanked her profusely before taking off.  Zuko bowed and thanked her as well. As he turned to follow, she pressed a rod into his hand. He glanced down, and his brows furrowed in confusion. It was an umbrella. 

"It's a long walk," she nodded towards Katara's retreating form as she began to walk away herself. "Especially in the rain."  

Zuko stood, dumbfounded for a moment, glancing between the old woman, the girl, the blue sky, and the umbrella in his hand. He shook his head to dispel the strange feeling he got from the scene, and jogged again to catch up to his companion. She was a ball of energy as they traveled down the road, her determination more crystal clear than ever. The firebender must have been quite tired from their long plight, because he didn't notice where they were headed until they reached the aforementioned town, the sky graying the further they went. 

"Katara." 

"I can't believe it's finally happening—I thought we'd never find the guy." 

"Katara." He stopped walking just before the crest of the hill, realization dawning. She couldn't hear him over the rumbling of the sky. 

"And you said we couldn't just ask a random person, ha! He won't know what hit him!" 

* * *

 A bright flash lit up the sky as the waterbender fell to her knees in front of the weathered stone. 

 

**_Here Lies:_   **

**_Yon_ _Rha_   **

**_Beloved Son_   **

**_Fearless Soldier_   **

**_Forever in Agni's Embrace_   **

 

She threw a whip of water against the words that only seemed to mock her plight with a cry of anguish. A crack appeared on its weathered face, lost amongst the many others. Zuko stood behind her, caught up at last. It was one of many graveyards for fallen soldiers. He chastised himself—he should have known. The thunder boomed overhead in time with the clouds releasing their load over the cemetery, but the girl couldn't find the strength to block the rainfall. Katara landed another punch in the mud forming in front of her, grounding it into the dirt as if the pain in her hand could drain the pain in her heart.  

'I hope he rots in hell.' 

The thought settles in her mind as she sits in a withered heap. The firebender looked away from her—letting her have the moment. As he opened the umbrella to shield them from the rain, he wondered if this conclusion could possibly be enough. 

 

* * *

  _\- Scenario 5 of 5 -_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! Again, thanks to the original of ff.net for the inspiration! Until next time.

**Author's Note:**

> This is pretty much the summary of how Katara and Zuko leave on their journey. You can use it as the intro for all of the scenarios.
> 
> Note: This was inspired from a fanfiction by libraflyter of the same name posted on ff.net some years ago. I have referenced the scenarios in creating those in this fic.


End file.
